Gasper is hitting .350 (7-for-20) with a home run in seven games this spring.

Gasper is a long shot to make the roster as a utility player, but he's drawing raves from management and could be an option if there's an injury among the team's other utility players. Gasper has been playing mostly second base this spring but is also a catcher and has played first base. He's not a plus defender behind the plate, but his versatility could see him called up from Triple-A at some point this summer. He hit .328/.439/.970 with 12 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Friday that an MRI on Walker's left oblique did not show a "strain or anything that we are concerned about," Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The Astros are still referring to the injury simply as left oblique soreness, and Walker will return to the team Friday and be eased back into activities. It's as good a news update as the Astros and Walker could have hoped to hear regarding a diagnosis, and it would appear he should be able to avoid the injured list, barring any setbacks.

Guerrero told ESPN's Enrique Rojas and Ernesto Jerez that his representation's final offer to the Blue Jays during contract extension negotiations was for 15 years and less than $600 million.

It's not clear what the Blue Jays' final proposal was, but Guerrero has said previously that the two sides were not close. He will turn 26 later this month, so it's not a surprise that he was seeking to match the length of the contract given to Juan Soto, who is a few months older than Guerrero. Teams in recent years have been reluctant to hand out megadeals to righty-swinging first basemen, so it will be interesting to see whether Vlad Jr. will be able to get the dollar figure he's seeking next offseason when he reaches free agency.

Loftin exited Thursday's Cactus League game against the Cubs with an illness.

Loftin returned to the lineup Thursday after missing the previous four days with a wrist issue. He went 0-for-2 at the plate before leaving the game and is now 6-for-13 this spring. Loftin is competing for a utility role after appearing in 57 regular-season games for the Royals last season.

Loftin (wrist) will start at third base and bat fourth in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Cubs.

Loftin was a late scratch from the lineup prior to Sunday's contest due to wrist soreness, but he appears to be feeling better after a few days of rest. The 26-year-old has fared well in his pursuit of an Opening Day roster spot, going 6-for-11 with three RBI and two runs scored across six spring games.

Walker said Thursday that he underwent an ultrasound on his left oblique but is waiting for the inflammation to subside before having additional imaging done, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Walker had to be scratched from Wednesday's Grapefruit League lineup versus the Cardinals due to the oblique injury. The first baseman missed five weeks of action for the Diamondbacks with a similar injury during the second half last season, but he said Thursday that his current injury isn't as severe. A stint on the injured list to begin the season remains a distinct possibility, but more will be known about Walker's status following the additional imaging.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider plans for Guerrero to bat second and Anthony Santander to hit third this season, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.

Guerrero began last season in the No. 2 spot but wound up hitting third for the bulk of the campaign. Schneider has not decided on a leadoff man or cleanup hitter, noting that Bo Bichette is an option for both spots "depending on who we're facing." Seemingly, George Springer is another prime candidate to hit ahead of Guerrero.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider indicated Wednesday that he doesn't expect to use Guerrero much at third base this season, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

The Blue Jays have been open to the idea of using Guerrero more at the hot corner. However, there's currently not an obvious alternative at first base to push Guerrero to third base and maximize the team's offensive potential. Vlad Jr. is still likely to make an occasional start at the hot corner, but fantasy managers shouldn't be counting on him picking up third base eligibility on platforms where he doesn't already have it.

Walker was scratched from Wednesday's lineup versus the Cardinals due to left oblique soreness, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

The severity is not yet known, but any injury to the oblique is cause for concern. More information on Walker's condition should be available later Wednesday. Jon Singleton will replace Walker in Wednesday's lineup and would also likely take his spot at first base should Walker need time on the injured list at the start of the season.

Casas has been scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates due to an illness, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports.

Casas is the latest victim of a bug that's been making its way through the Red Sox clubhouse. He should be ready to play in a day or two. Nathan Hickey will sub in at first base and bat cleanup Tuesday.